


Hello, Eiji

by Osservare



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Past Rape/Non-con, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-13 18:36:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17493140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Osservare/pseuds/Osservare
Summary: Eiji Okumura is completely unremarkable at first. A typical Japanese boy.==============================“Then are we just going to die here?”No. But....Ash’s argument dies on his lips as he witnesses the determination on the boy’s face. A will to live.Ash can’t say anything, just watches in some form of a stupor as Eiji goes through the motions.There’s a deliberateness to his running, an elegance in those long strides. The ringing of the metal pipe striking the ground hits in Ash’s ears as he observes a Japanese bird take flight. The pipe bends, but successfully jolts Eiji high into the air.Eiji is soaring over the barbed wire.There’s a moment of hang time where Ash swears he’s seeing freedom right before his eyes. A bird not bound by a cage.





	1. A Perfect Day for Bananafish

**Author's Note:**

> A character study of the anime Banana Fish. Mostly from Ash's point of view. Will follow the 2018 anime adaptation closely but only the parts where Eiji and Ash are on screen together.
> 
> A huge thank you to my beta, Charles!
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Eiji Okumura is completely unremarkable at first. A typical Japanese boy.

Ash doesn’t like having the police lingering outside his place. But the photo shoot and interview guarantees the police favor in the future.

Skip brings the pair in. Their movements are stilted and cautious. It’s clear they don’t fit the atmosphere. Bringing two Japanese deer into the den of American wolves. 

Everyone’s on their toes. Outsiders aren’t welcome, even if invited. The mentor, Shunichi Ibe, speaks in ingratiating tones. Professional, but with that too-polite Japanese submissiveness.

It isn’t Ash’s wish, but he agrees to the photos. “Ei-chan” helps set up while Ash grabs a drink to help muddle his way through this ordeal. So far the boy hasn’t spoken a word; he’s been soaking in his surroundings with a mix of awestruck wonder and fear.

As a power move, Ash tests the water. 

“Do you use kids for assistants in Japan?” he teases loudly. This gains a few smirks from the gang members at the bar.

A frustrated pause. “I’m older than you.”

Ooh? The defiance in his tone is amusing. A bravado in the face of hostility. The men around Ash chuckle as he continues his teasing.

He knew Japanese looked young, but this boy looks younger than Ash himself. A baby face with doey eyes. He wouldn’t last here.

The photos are annoying. The clicks loud in his ears even if the photographer is a good distance away. Ash tries his best to ignore them, drinking heartily and talking lightly with his gang. It is frustrating having to be so cautious.

His ramblings are interrupted when the boy blurts out his curiosity about his gun. It’s holstered plainly in his pants waist, a warning to keep all in order.

Instead of intimidation, the boy finds childlike wonderment over the firearm. But the Japanese is immediately flustered; his cheeks are ablaze at his naivety as he stutters his reasoning. Again, the boy shocks him by asking to hold it. Ignorance is bliss they say. It’s Ash’s first time witnessing such pure unawareness; it’s amusing.

Surely what harm could this Japanese child do?

A poisonous smile snakes across Ash’s face as he agrees and unholsters the gun. He has complete confidence he can take down this boy before he even gets a finger on the trigger.

He places the gun in pale open hands. All eyes in the bar are on him and the boy, although the latter seems ignorant of the gravity of the situation. His amazement at holding the weapon is consuming, eyes bright as he feels the heft of the gun.

It’s quickly returned to Ash with an expression of genuine gratitude. Perhaps this boy did have some understanding of the test he went through, but it is highly unlikely. 

Eventually Ibe-san is satisfied with the photographs and the interview commences. Ibe-san delivers bland questions about gang life while Skip takes the boy to the side. They’re loud at the table, but Ash hardly cares. At least Skip seems to like the boy.

The call from Shorter and the attack that happens after flies by in a blur. Ash acts on instinct, giving the attackers swift kicks to the face.

Police are muddled into the mess now. Damn cops. Weren’t they supposed to be protecting this place? Arthur’s men are persistent, attacking with blunt objects. They’re no match for Ash’s skill, but he spots figures running to an escape behind the bar.

He hears Skipper’s voice and realization dawns. It’s mixed with panic as he watches several burly men run in pursuit.

Although young, Skipper can put up a fight and knows when to leave. But the movements of the attackers are deliberate.

They’re targeting him.

Ash tries to give chase, calling to his friend that it’s a trap. Hands grab at him, holding him back. The wildcat struggles free just in time to see the boy being manhandled into the back of a car.

As the vehicle races down the street, Ash gets his footing and pulls out the magnum. There’s three heads lining the back seat; one of them a head full of jet black hair he had just met. 

Ash aims for the driver’s side and shoots. To his dismay, the car doesn’t swerve and continues its fast pace down the road.

Stealing the bike from Shorter, Ash gives chase. To save Skipper, and unknowingly, the Japanese boy caught up in this hellish world of gangsters.


	2. In Another Country

The next time Ash sees the Japanese photographer is at gunpoint. Except it isn’t his head at the end of the barrel, it’s the boy’s.

Seeing Arthur slink out of the shadows like the slug he is already has Ash irritable. Bastard.

Their conflict is inevitable, but to drag in Skipper. It crosses a line.

Ash is sucker punched twice as a garage door reals up to reveal Marvin and the Japanese boy. Skip looks relieved to see his boss, concerned but confident that Ash will get him out alive. Okumura on the other hand looks small, uncertain.

It’s a pain having Arthur ally with Golzine. Extremely poor taste. It confirms his suspicion about the substance he gave the doctor to research.

It’s important.

But to have that back stabber Arthur align with Golzine makes things complicated. Arthur may think he’s either in charge or on even footing, but Ash knows Golzine is the one making all the moves.

The men behind Arthur have their two captives flanked. They have the upper hand against the lynx. Ash tries to barter, get the two free before things get ugly (and while he still has his gun), but Arthur’s attention is drawn to their Japanese guest.

Ash can see how he looms over the other boy, gauging his value. Their faces are blocked, but Ash can assume the look of pure fear on the older boy’s face.

The boy flinches at the kill command.

The fuck.... The kid is just an innocent bystander. Ash sighs in resignation, pulling out his firearm and throwing it down in front of him.

There’s no need for that boy to lose his life when this is Ash’s mess. 

Ash gets one brief look at the shock on Okumura’s face before Arthur promptly punches him. He doesn’t hold back either. 

————

Much to his irritation, Ash is separated from Skipper. Instead he goes through some ineffective beatings at the hand of Marvin.

Such a predictable mutt. All bark and no bite. Ash is fully away of Marvin’s sexual hunger, something Ash can easily exploit, but Arthur’s presence has the man wary.

Pity. Ash tries to use his wiles but only gets a good whipping at the hand of Marvin’s belt. It cuts viciously, but Ash sees no point in showing the pain. He endures it, keeping the upper hand by teasing his interrogator until the man tires.

Ash is unceremoniously dumped on the floor. It rattles his sore ribs and begins forming new bruises over the ones already there.

He’s relieved to be away from the blonde snake and horny pig. It’s just him, Skipper and the boy. As much as Ash dislikes showing weakness in front of his men, he takes a moment to acknowledge his pain.

Fuck everything hurt. Especially his ribs. The cuts from the belt lashings sting and he can feel the warmth of blood flowing down his arm. Eventually it will start to feel numb.  
He’s shocked to hear fabric ripping and his arm is gently taken into Okumura’s careful ministrations. Ash doesn’t bother asking why the other boy knows how to dress a wound, just appreciative of some first aid being done. Maybe it’s a Japanese thing.

The wrapping is done a bit too loosely, but gets the job accomplished. Already the pale blue fabric stains dark with blood.

“Thanks for saving my life.”

He’s not looking directly at Ash, but Ash understands the sincerity.

“You might wish I hadn’t.”

They’re still in the hands of the enemy, Ash completely weaponless. Not to mention, this isn’t about killing, it’s about torture and interrogation. Ash is fortunate they’re only focusing on him. Hopefully Skipper and the other boy will leave unscathed.  
No one strikes up small talk. It’s not in Ash’s nature. Skip seems to have dozed off. Good. A kid his age should sleep through this disaster; Ash will take care of him.

Okumura just ducks his head between his knees. The shit he’s gone through in the past 12 hours... Ash can’t imagine what could be running through the mind of a civilian turned hostage. Scratch that, a visiting foreigner, not a civilian of New York with at least some semblance of the dangers in the city.

Unlucky bastard.

Ash doesn’t let the awkward silence occupy him. Instead his mind is already formulating new strategies. Fighting is out of the question. Ash can take down Marvin and Arthur, but it’s a matter of keeping the other two alive that has him docile. Primary objective is escape.

It’s easy luring Marvin to be alone. Ash ignores the whispers shared between Skip and the other boy, instead putting on a damn good show. Why “Papa” sent this dog in heat Ash will never understand; he’s so easy to play. 

Ash’s skin writhes under the touch of those meaty hands, but he’s quick to incapacitate his captor. As the portly man collapses, Skip already jumps in celebration.

Ash doesn’t spare a moment, barking at the two to begin their escape. He knows the two will follow as they weave through the warehouse complex, but it’s inevitable that they alert some guards along the route.

The three pick up their pace as they weave through brick alleys. This is an area Ash isn’t particularly familiar with and the escapees come face to face with a towering brick wall closing off their path.

There’s nothing to climb and nothing to hide behind. The three of them are outnumbered and Ash wasn’t kidding when he said his ribs are broken. Fighting will be tough. Surrendering to ensure the safety of the other two seems like the only option.

Ash is distracted by Eiji who is pulling a rusted metal pipe off the wall of another building. He tumbles ungracefully to the ground as the bolts snap loose. The pipe isn’t a strong weapon, but it can do. Skip already has a wooden spike brandished to fight.

Honestly, Ash has very little confidence in “Ei-chan”s fighting ability. The pipe is brittle and way too long for close combat.

But Eiji interrupts his doubts, walking towards the wall.

“I’m going to jump over.”

Pole vaulting? Ash hasn’t seen it, but knows of the sport. But it seems more impractical than standing to fight.

“Are you out of your mind?”

“I’ve jumped higher walls in Japan. I’m a pole vaulter.”

Well that confirms Ash’s guess, but it’s still a risky move. If the pipe breaks they’ll have two wounded on their hands. At peak height, he’ll end up dead. Even if it’s successful, does this boy have a plan for a landing?

Ash tries to reason, “If that rotten pipe breaks, you’re dead-”

“Then are we just going to die here?”

No. But....Ash’s argument dies on his lips as he witnesses the determination on the boy’s face. A will to live.

Ash can’t say anything, just watches in some form of a stupor as Eiji goes through the motions. 

There’s a deliberateness to his running, an elegance in those long strides. The ringing of the metal pipe striking the ground hits in Ash’s ears as he observes a Japanese bird take flight. The pipe bends, but successfully jolts Eiji high into the air.

Eiji is soaring over the barbed wire. 

There’s a moment of hang time where Ash swears he’s seeing freedom right before his eyes. A bird not bound by a cage. 

The illusion is ruined by the crashing on the other side and grunt of pain from the pole vaulter. At least he’s alive. 

Ash takes a moment to allow that image of Eiji flying to burn into his mind before facing his captors now surrounding him and Skipper.

Their lives are in the hands of Eiji Okumura.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -coughs- So much for trying to keep an updating schedule. Being a week late is okay, yes? X)
> 
> Another big thanks to my beta, Charles!
> 
> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Phew~ First chapter finally up. I have a couple more stored and already read by my lovely beta, but I'm going to try and spread out the updates to make them last longer. 
> 
> I really loved this anime and wanted to post something before the fandom gets too stale after the anime adaptation finished. I'll be rewatching it plenty. <3
> 
> Anyway, thank you all for reading! Hope you guys enjoy and stay tuned for future updates!


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